Siena president to serve on NCAA Board

The Rev. Kevin Mullen, who’s been in office less than a month as Siena’s president, already has been given the chance to excersie some athletic clout at a national level.

He’s been elected to serve on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, an 18-member panel charged with oversight of many NCAA policies.

Mullen takes over a post previously occupied by the Rider president.

For the details, here’s a news release from Siena:

Siena President Rev. Kevin Mullen, OFM Named to NCAA Board of Directors

Mullen to Serve as One of 18 Institutional Presidents and Chancellors

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. – Just under a month after his inauguration as Siena’s 10th president, the Rev. Kevin Mullen, OFM was appointed to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Board of Directors. Mullen will serve a four-year term on the 18-member panel which is charged with setting divisional policy and direction.

Fr. Kevin is replacing Rider University President Dr. Mordechai Rozanski on the board and his term will run through April of 2011.

Members of the Board of Directors are selected by the constituencies they represent and no conference may have more than one representative serving on the Board of Directors simultaneously.

“I look forward to putting Siena College’s administrative, athletic and academic skills at the service of the NCAA,” he said.

The Division I Board of Directors duties include: establishing a strategic plan; adopting administrative and operating bylaws and regulations; assuring gender equity and diversity in the governing structure; approving an annual Division I budget; approving regulations providing for the administration of championships; advising the executive committee concerning the employment of the NCAA president and the oversight of his/her employment; overseeing the administration, compilation and disclosure of information concerning the Academic Progress Rate (APR) and Academic Performance Census (APC).

“This is a great opportunity for Siena to represent the MAAC members at the national level,” director of athletics John D’Argenio said. “The Board will be facing some significant issues over the next few years that will have a significant impact on the NCAA membership. Fr. Kevin has worked very closely with the athletic department as a Board of Trustees member, as the director of the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy and now as President. He brings an informed view and opinion to the discussions.”

Fr. Kevin’s administrative and leadership experience includes serving as Rector/Guardian of St. Anthony Shrine in Boston, Mass., from 1990 – 1999. In addition, he served on the Board of Directors of Franciscan Children’s Hospital from 1997 – 1999, and was on the steering committee for the Interfaith Clergy Breakfast.

Concurrently, Fr. Kevin served on the Provincial Council of the Franciscans of Holy Name Province, and as director of finance for the Province. From 1990 – 1993 he was also a member of the Board of Trustees of Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, N.Y.

He was a member of the Board of Trustees of Siena College from 1987-1996, and from 1999 – 2005, and now serves ex officio on the college’s board. During his first tenure on the Siena Board he served as Chair of the Trustees Athletic Committee.

In 1999, Fr. Kevin was appointed Pastor/Guardian of St. Leo’s Church in Elmwood Park, N.J., where he served until his Siena College appointments in 2005.

Prior to his appointment to the presidency on June 1, Fr. Kevin directed the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy at Siena since 2005, taught a seminar in Franciscan service and Siena’s Foundations course for first-year students, and has also been guardian (supervisor) of the Franciscan friary at the College.

In addition, he recently accepted an appointment to serve on the board of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce: a key association in New York State’s Capital Region.